Boko Haram: Outrage over Jonathan’s $1b loan request

There is outrage over the proposal by President Goodluck Jonathan to secure the National Assembly’s nod to obtain a $1billion loan to buy arms and ammunition to strengthen the fight against Boko Haram.

Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro, said at the weekend during his tour of Naval formation in Delta and Bayelsa states, said major military equipment had not been procured by successive governments in 25 years – to justify the need for the loan.

On the state of the military, the minister said: “So far so good, but in real terms and given the goals that we have set for ourselves as a nation, there is the need for more investment. No doubt about that.

“Funding will forever remain an issue. I schooled in the U.S. Anywhere, funding is a problem in terms of the military. It is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. I recognise the fact that if you have a responsibility to somebody, the person must be equipped to carry out such responsibility.

“The Federal Government has resolved that within the limited resources available, the military is properly kitted to deal with the challenges confronting the country for now and the future.

“The president is committed to that and he has taken practical steps. As I speak to you today, some of the acquisition we are doing to beef up military capacity have not been done in the last 25 years. That, to me, is what progress is all about.”

Speaking in Yola, Obanikoro said: “It is not true that the military is not well motivated. We must recognise and appreciate the effort of President Goodluck Jonathan since he came on board.

“I can tell you that in the last 25 years, we have not made major acquisitions in terms of platforms for the Navy, amunition and equipment generally for the military.

“It is Jonathan that has started doing that now and it is as a result of neglect that we are suffering today. But that we are also trying to overcome with this new acquisition.

“There is no doubt that we have both men and women who can deliver under any situation and they are acclaimed worldwide to be among the best. If they can solve issues outside, why will they not be able to solve issues at home.”

The pattern of Defence Budget in the last 25 years showed a sharp increase, but most of the funds reportedly went to personnel and overhead costs.

This year’s budget has the highest allocation to Defence N968.127 billion out of total budget of N4.962 trillion.

The capital budget has always been spent on buildings, uniforms, some ammunition and vehicle spares parts.

It was learnt that there was a little improvement in 2012 when the Navy bought two offshore patrol vessels and six coastal patrol boats and some spares.

It was gathered that in the same year, the Air Force acquired 12 Augusta 109 helicopters and some uniforms, reactivated C-130 and G222 Alpha Jets.

A military source said: “The military budgets over the years were not meant for massive equipment. They were meant for administration, logistics,training and day-to-day running of the establishment.

“Nobody envisaged a war of this magnitude. This matter should not be unnecessarily sensationalised or politicised. These are facts Nigerians should be made to know.

The source spoke on the telephone and pleaded not to be quoted.

In an article in 2012, which drew the ire of the Presidency, a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, gave an insight into the nation’s defence budget.

He said: “Military spending the world over averages about 2.5 per cent of GDP, with the USA being the highest spender – about $700billion, which is about 5 per cent of GDP. In Africa, the leading military spender is Algeria, ranked 29th in the world, with 3.8 per cent of GDP, followed by Egypt (41st, 2.1 per cent), Angola (42nd, 4.2 per cent), and South Africa (43rd, 1.3 per cent). Nigeria is ranked 57th in the world then earmarking $1.724billion – about 0.9 per cent of our GDP on defence. Even a smaller country like Morocco, ranked 48th with 3.4 per cent of GDP out-spends us! In contrast, countries at near state-of-war like Lebanon (58th, 4.1 per cent) and Sudan (56th, 4.1 per cent) are in our neighbourhood in terms of defence outlays.

“Our current budget for defence has climbed slightly to just over 1 per cent of GDP.”

From N1.2 billion in 1988, the defence budget moved to N968.127 billion in this year’s budget.

The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday urged the National Assembly not to give its go-ahead for the President to take the loan.

It urged the government to account for the “missing” $20 billion oil money, saying “massive corruption and lack of accountability is behind the government request for loan”.

Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) urged the National Assembly to reject the President’s request, saying there was no justification for the loan.

The activist recalled that between 2010 and 2013, over N3 trillion was budgeted for defence.

“Under the Appropriation Bill signed into law on May 23, 20 per cent of the entire federal budget i.e the sum of N968.127 billion out of N4.962 trillion, was earmarked for defence,” Falana said.

He advised the Senate to find out what happened to the defence budget in the middle of the year to warrant a supplementary budget of N160 billion.

Other senior lawyers urged the National Assembly to scrutinise the request.

Joseph Nwobike and Sebastine Hon (both Senior Advocates of Nigeria) said, the legislature should monitor the application of the funds – if it gives the go-ahead.

Nwobike said in view of the growing insecurity in the country, no amount was too much to spend on a secured environment for the people.

Hon urged the National Assembly to extract, undertaking from the President to assure the country that the money would actually be spent for the purpose for which it was being sought.

Nwobike said:”With the growing security challenges in the country; insurgency in the Northeast, as well as oil theft and sea piracy and other maritime crimes in the southern part of the country, I think there is a need for the government to acquire sophisticated military hardware and training for our military to be able to combat these crimes.

“We should not ground in the argument about whether money had been spent in the past or not. What we should be concerned with is how to tackle these challenges, which are not only threatening the fabric of our nation, but also interfering with our economic life.

“In other words, we all know how much Nigeria has lost since this insurgency, oil theft and other maritime crimes started. What we have lost in a year is more than $10billion. So if we spend $1b to equip our military so that they can stop or nip in the bud, this escalating criminality, I think is a welcome development.”

“The only thing that I will ask the National Assembly to do in approving the loan is to improve on their oversight function, such that they will be able to monitor in great details, where the money will be spent, what it will be spent on, and the benefit capital, which the money will be able to generate in the area of security of lives and property in the country,” Nwobike said.

Hon said : “The question that will arise is, what has been the effect of the spending on the military so far? Is it that it has not been fully utilised or there are some extraordinary measures requiring external borrowing, in addition to what has been budgeted for to take care of the military?

“I think as the Commander-in-Chief, he is the person wearing the shoes and he knows where they are pinching him.

“The National Assembly should extract an undertaking from the President to the effect that if this amount is approved, he will tackle the insurgency that is ravaging our country.

“The National Assembly should audit the military in view of the fact that there have been allegations flying here and there that substandard equipment are being supplied to soldiers fighting the insurgents and that heavy money has been misappropriated or taken away outrightly.

“So, I advise that there should be probity and accountability to make Nigerians appreciate the imperative for looking for additional funds,” Hon said.

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omoagbala60

$1b to be siphoned as in the case of Abacha’s recovered loot?

Omoolowu

Somebody said C in C!
Habaaaaaaaaa, did you not hear when he said I’m not a general, and you don’t expect me to behave as one.
I thing C in C’s are Generals, who give instruction to Generals under them.

fatai mark

This is why and the major reason why Nigeria has not been able to solve
some problems and defeat insurgency with this senseless and mischievous
comment by some so called opposition parties,why must they always stand
against every decisions and suggestions made by the ruling party just
because of their selfish interest and gainful attractions,i pity the end
of this country if politics are played continually in this manner,the
future of this country is in shackles of destruction and condemnations.
Jonathan has proposed to seek funds to face insurgency and they still
stood up against it,they are the ones complaining that he is doing
nothing to stop boko haram,and now he is seeking funds to equip the
military so that they will not have excuses in fighting fro this
country,What else do they want him to do?….Shameless APC,hope they will get better and think about the future of the unborn generation.

The Reality

Does it mean if some one applaud FG is in PDP or criticize FG is in Opposition party? Please lets be wary of sentiments and allow criticism, so that our leaders can be waked up from slumber!

Another way for the for d gorvernment to loot the our treasury for campaign

dondave

This is the outcome of voting in a complete visionless incompetent
person at the helm of affairs of the Nation. If I may ask will this money be
judiciously monitored to ensure proper usage for the above stated reasons. And
what are the measures put in place in repaying this debt, if incur? We should
be cautious of those who are willing to mortgage the future of this great country
at any slightest opportunity for immediate selfish returns. Judging from the
past. I doubted, sincerely, if this loan will be prudently used.

Mr. P

pls don’t address our president with those adjectives, this is a man who has transformed the aviation sector, rail sub-sector, built kilometres of road networks etc….

BABUYANMA

I think Jonathan will be the first president of Nigeria to be executed for stealing. Mark my word.

J Moss

i refuse to believe that someone who is living in the country would make such a statement… it it wring on all levels…noone is saying hes a saint but weda ud like to admit it or not, nigeria is getting better….tink about it critically, if u remove this issue on terrorism n insecurity which os obviously a huge distraction to the successes of the administration, is nigeria not better of?
its bcs of the same insecurity issue that hes requested the loan and you call it stealing.. shame on u brother

chimex

Nigeria is better of with 15% of pass in WAEC and JAMB exams, 6months ASSU strike, 10months ASUP strike, every other day Doctors strike, 400,000 crude oil theft per day and a bag of rice for #12,000 from PDP inherited price of #1,500 in 1999. It is this your version of better Nigeria that you and your generation will live in for ever in JESUS name Amen

chimex

Nigeria is better of with 15% of pass in WAEC and JAMB exams, 6months ASSU strike, 10months ASUP strike, every other day Doctors strike, 400,000 crude oil theft per day and a bag of rice for #12,000 from PDP inherited price of #1,500 in 1999. It is this your version of better Nigeria that you and your generation will live in for ever in JESUS name Amen

J Moss

exactly…your part of the myopic few i presume….u can only list the negatives and ignore the positives. 1st of all, i believe that ur educated enough to know that the agro- demand in 1999 is far different from that of 2014. the economy caters for a lot more people now…if you believe that the price of bag of rice would be the same as then, then my brother you clearly are living in the wrong generation…i suggest you go and find out the price of importing a bag of rice into the country, then u would realise the savings being made you are making from the #12,000

i see a nigeria that has become a force to reckon with in africa with the strongest economy, a country that has rehabilitated the aviation sector, the massive savings gotten from the importation of food in the country and the number of jobs gained from the agro sector, a country that now manufactures and assembles vehicles after many years the automotive sector being killed, a country that used to have only 5000km of roads in 2006 to over 25,000km of roads in this year… so my friend go and look 4 good news and stop dwelling on the bad. my generation and i would inherit the Nigeria i just described, maybe u and yours can live in the one you mentioned.

chimex

Ordinarily, I don`t dwell so much with those who want to live and die with GEJ but let me take on you a little more. What is the % increase in our population between 1999-2000 that will warrant such geometrical rise in price. And in the bid to defend your inept Oga, you roped him in by claiming that he has done so much in the agro industry. My elementary economics tells me that if production is greater than demand, price reduces, so if we are now producing this your so called high volume of rice, the price should be less than what it was in 1999. That is why in countries where there is this sufficient food production, govt pay farmers subsidy to minimize the lost they may incur due to the price war such excess production can cause. Name which car price you have seen drop as a show of benefit of Nigeria becoming one of the car manufacturers, the Innosson buses that is assembled what is the price relative to other similar buses? the poor and high cost of doing biz in this PDP Nigeria will not allow the price to come down. You have the right to support even Satan after all he enriches those that do rituals with him but that does not mean that devil is doing well. Sorry if what you have listed above is the achievement of a president who have budgeted #25trilion in 5yrs, I have every reason to be myopic because there is really nothing to see

people should talk about the merits of the loan and stop expressing party sentiments to kill the proposal…

BABUYANMA

What proposal?. The only thing Jonathan knows how to do is to loot our treasury.

Mr. P

Can you prove your point ?

BABUYANMA

Drive around the country, and you see the proof. Billions of dollars budgeted, and NOTHING to show for it. Jonathan WILL not get away with his looting.

The Reality

Can you disproof your point as well?

The Reality

Instead why cant he use the funds that are yet to be accounted by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as claimed by Senate or as cried by SLS!

The Reality

@ Mr P: When Maku & the then Gulak lambasted Shettima, what did you said?

PDP ENEMY OF NIGERIA

U can go there an release the loan if the lawmakers are not ready, Mtcheeew

PDP ENEMY OF NIGERIA

U can go there an release the loan if the lawmakers are not ready, Mtcheeew

David Damola Ogunyemi

so Shettima (Borno state Governor) was correct when he said boko hara were better armed

janjaweed2

loan to finance genocide

1 poorly trained, totally ill-equipped soldiers, given only uniforms are killed
by their trainers in Nigerian Army training centres as soon as they
arrive in the Nigerian Army camps being used by so-called Boko-Haram
insurgents. Virtually all the Nigerian Army soldiers killed/murdered in
these operations so far are of Northern Nigerian origin

2 Mr. Henry Okah, the convicted leader of MEND also stated under oath that
he was being put under pressure by the administration to implicate
senior Northern elements such as IBB and Buhari as financiers of Boko
Haram terrorism.

3. Clearly the victims of the Administration’s evil-mindedness are
substantially Northern Nigerians. The administration is bent on bringing
wars in the North between Muslim and Christians and within them and
between one ethnic group and another or others in various communities in
the region

4 ,“these organized kidnappers must have the backing of the Federal
administration for them to move about freely with abducted children just
as those who convey ammunitions and explosives from the Ports to the
safe-houses of so called Boko-Haram in the North”.

5.
security manning checkpoints on the road to FGC Buni Yadi were given
orders to stand down for the same convoy that massacred students in that
school , why

6. while the airport in maiduguri was being attacked
a fully kitted and armed unit was nearby refused to respond forhours
while operation was ongoing

7. amnesty international has confirmed
that security both in abuja and in maid wer in formed FOUR HOURS from
the start of the CHIBOK GIRLS kidnapping and refused to respond
8.Unongo (former minster power and steel)said on the day it happened there
was a stampede in the village that Fulani men were about to attack the
villagers and forcibly convert them to Islam. He said upon hearing this
he didn’t believe it because for more 100 years the Fulani and Tivs have
been co-existing peacefully.
Nonetheless, he instructed the village vigilante group to summon
courage and arrest any person among the anticipated marauding party that
comes to the village. The vigilante men were successful in their
task.
BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT THOSE APPREHENDED WERE NOT FULANI HERDSMEN BUT
SOLDIERS OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY FROM THE BARRACKS IN TAKUM, TARABA STATE. t
He further narrated that upon their arrest, the soldiers were handed
over to the police, who took them to Adigbo town. “Eventually, they were
taken to Makurdi. And that was the end of the matter”, as nothing
was heard again about the saga which shook Jato-Aka residents and left
Unongo himself with a huge loss on his business and other private
property.

AND MANY MORE TOO NUMEROUS FOR THIS PAGE , SHINE YOUR EYE

Romla

I don’t really understand when Obanikoro says previous Governments did not do anything about equipping the military.What is previous,when the incumbent has been in the saddle for 6 good years,and was vice for 2 years prior to that.We should make statements with the fear of God.

UYI111

What the noise about one billion dollars is nothing compares to the some of money the lawmakers from commitee to commitee from various parastatals to the other one billion dollar can protect a million lives but can”t buy one live.

Lam

Money flies here and there, politicians go and come, Nigeria remains under-developed. We are not talking of stable power supply, good roads, good water supply, good health system and good education. Politicians are playing with the future of Nigerians and no one is talking. Corruption has bitten us so hard that we are not seeing the facts on ground.
Politics is a dirty game but one should be a little patriotic, I am not going to blame anyone because the political system on ground is based on tribalism and Nigeria is in a mess. The common goal of developing Nigeria is not in our political agenda. If we continue like this, Nigeria will not move forward, today’s politicians will be sitting down and blaming the present politicians. How long shall we continue to fool ourselves by speaking grammars to cover up what is not right. One billion dollars is not a small money, are we planning to fight the the whole terrorists in the world? ASUU and Medical Doctors embarked on strike, it means a declining moment in the political history of Nigeria. With what is on ground, Boko Haram’ isssue is left to generate to a bigger problem so money can be made from it because the Nigeria Military I know, can fish out Boko Haram within a month if truly there are no sentiments. We will keep on fooling ourselves while we know the truth. So by the next twenty years all money would be squandered and Nigeria will still remain in darkness and insecured. The solution is not the money because the money would be siphoned as usual but we are not moving forward as a nation. Why is Nigeria not getting it right while other nations are moving forward day by day?. Can it be a curse on us not to move forward? How long shall will endanger the future of the next generation with these dirty politics and corruption biting our bones. We have turned dirty politics to a culture at the detriment of development. The system is so bad, an individual cannot be blamed because the foundation for development is not there. Our problems need divine solution because politicians happen to be part of our problem. The truth is bitter.

Engineer Chigozie

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Rooney

Not only IMDF Number, U better go and sleep this part of the corruption we talking about

Rooney

Not only IMDF Number, U better go and sleep this part of the corruption we talking about

chimex

Of the 25yrs of poor funding of the military, PDP has ruled for 16yrs. If you add the 5yrs of Abacha that he spent fighting NADECO, you have 21yrs. Look around those in the present govt and PDP you will clearly see it`s the same people that has brought us to our kneels. Nigerians think, go for change, the choice we make come 2015 will determine if we will join Sudan or Singapore. We were told that $10b or $20b can`t be accounted for, Okonjo told us that she will do a forensic audit of NNPC, that has been swept under the carpet with a deliberate distraction from Chibok. Yet the same country wants to go and borrow $1b (#160b). In the 2014 budget, the military is to get #900b, from Okonjo`s` records, as of June only #130b has been disbursed where is the remaining #770b? it has been channeled to the PDP military wing that is capturing Etiti, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Osun Edo and Rivers states. History will not spare this PDP

chimex

Of the 25yrs of poor funding of the military, PDP has ruled for 16yrs. If you add the 5yrs of Abacha that he spent fighting NADECO, you have 21yrs. Look around those in the present govt and PDP you will clearly see it`s the same people that has brought us to our kneels. Nigerians think, go for change, the choice we make come 2015 will determine if we will join Sudan or Singapore. We were told that $10b or $20b can`t be accounted for, Okonjo told us that she will do a forensic audit of NNPC, that has been swept under the carpet with a deliberate distraction from Chibok. Yet the same country wants to go and borrow $1b (#160b). In the 2014 budget, the military is to get #900b, from Okonjo`s` records, as of June only #130b has been disbursed where is the remaining #770b? it has been channeled to the PDP military wing that is capturing Etiti, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Osun Edo and Rivers states. History will not spare this PDP

JJ

Jonathan is Nigeria number 1 enemy. He has ruined the country more than what civil war did to the country and he’s not thinking of stopping. He doesn’t care if the country is completely ruined and he doesn’t give a damn.